Choices in Education: Roxboro Community School

January 2, 2017

Season’s Greetings from Roxboro Community School. As we approach the beginning of a new year, we take time to celebrate many of the new beginnings over the years that have made our community a wonderful place to live and raise a family. These beginnings include new family-owned restaurants and shops, an abundance of recreational activities, and an increase in services that now complement the traditions and rich history of Roxboro when it was a thriving mill town.

One new beginning that is special to us in particular is the advent of school choice in Person County, where families can now choose a public school that shares their same core values. This opportunity exists at Roxboro Community School, located in the historic (circa 1899) Roxboro Cotton Mill building, where children are provided a small and nurturing environment in which they can flourish.

Tultex shuttered the building at 115 Lake Drive in December 1999, and it stood dark and empty for over five years. That is when a group of dedicated parents and community members met in a family’s basement to discuss offering an educational choice to the families of middle and high school students in Person County. A few months later, Roxboro Community School was born, and the first classes were welcomed in August 2006. Today, the historic structure stands as a beacon of community revitalization.

For the past decade now, hundreds of young people have brought new life to the halls that were once filled with the sounds of cotton weaving and spinning machines. The first cohort of graduates received their RCS diplomas in May 2009, and the school now serves 725 students in grades six through 12, offering a college- preparatory course of study. Class sizes are kept small, allowing students and teachers to build close relationships. There is an enrollment lottery each year to determine acceptance into this state-of-the-art school, where students are challenged academically and also have the opportunity to participate in complementary fine arts and athletic endeavors.

RCS is rich in tradition, and the tradition of academic excellence took root eleven years ago and is stronger than ever today. The RCS Advanced Placement Academy allows students to obtain college credit beginning in their freshman year. RCS has twice been designated an Honor School of Excellence by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and in 2015-16, RCS ranked among the top 3 percent of public schools in the state, earning a performance rating of A+. RCS has earned accreditation and reaccreditation through AdvancEd. The graduation rate is consistently near 100 percent. The graduating class of 2016 featured a Morehead-Cain Scholar, a West Point appointee, and acceptances to Duke and Columbia universities.

Most newcomers to RCS discover that this school is a welcoming and loving place to work and to learn.  We are a family, and a true community school that welcomes the involvement of and contributions from families and local businesses. RCS parents volunteer eight hours every year to help with school operations, maintenance, supervision, and instruction. Students participate in four community service days; learning how to give back to the community that supports them.

All of the school’s growth over the past eleven years is possible because Roxboro Community School has a timeless school mission that is important to families in this area. Our families want a small and nurturing environment, but one that holds students to the highest academic standards so they are prepared for success in their post-secondary endeavors. The staff, administration, and Board of Directors at Roxboro Community School are committed to sustaining this mission and ensuring that we make education better for all children in Person County.

This post was co-authored by Ms.Natalie Brozy, Managing Executive Director, Ms. Donna Ingram, MS Principal and Mr. Darkarai Bryant, HS Principal For more Information about Roxboro Community School, please visit the website: http://roxborocs.org/